Addiction Recovery

When you donate goods to The Salvation Army, those items are then sold at our Family Stores. And the proceeds are used to fund our Adult Rehabilitation Centers, where those in the grip of addiction find help, hope, and a second chance at life. All thanks to your generosity.

History

For over 100 years The Salvation Army has been fighting alcoholism in its 119 United States based Adult Rehabilitation Centers (ARC). This ministry began in 1881 when William Booth, founder of The Salvation Army, opened shelters for homeless people on the streets of England. During this time many homeless people were also alcoholics, and it was in these shelters that the ARC ministry began. By the 1940s American ARCs were developing a more professional counseling program, and in the 1950s ARCs hired professional social workers and psychologists as permanent staff. Today, ARC ministries extend to those suffering from alcoholism as well as multiple drug addictions.

Funding

The Salvation Army's ARC ministry is totally self-supporting, receiving no government funding. In order to support the ministry, The Salvation Army takes discarded items that people donate, recycles them and then sells them in Salvation Army thrift stores. In the past in-kind donations have gone through a warehouse for processing, but recently The Salvation Army has begun opening superstores where donations are accepted and processed on-site.

The Mission

Salvation Army ARC ministries in the United States provide housing, clothing, medical attention and educational aid to men who are seeking help for a drug or alcohol addiction. The ARC focuses recovery around the spiritual fulfillment that comes through a personal relationship with Christ, offering a variety of programs that practically accent this spiritual ideal. In some areas programs have developed that serve women with addictions, but for the most part the ARC ministry is focused on men dealing with alcohol and drug addictions.